Camera, an image inputting apparatus, a portable terminal device, and a method for transforming the camera configuration

ABSTRACT

A camera has a camera body formed in a longitudinal rectangular shape, and in the intermediate portion of the camera body, a flexion/transformation mechanism dividing the camera body into an image photographing section including a lens system for capturing an optical image of a subject and a gripping section for a photographer to grip the camera body at the time of photographing is provided. The flexion/transformation mechanism is configured so as to dispose the image photographing section and the gripping section on a same straight line such that the camera body is formed in the longitudinal rectangular shape in a first state, and to dispose the gripping section angled relative to said image photographing section in a second state.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 toJapanese Patent Application No. 2000-081056 filed in the Japanese PatentOffice on Mar. 22, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporatedby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvement in the configuration ofcameras, image inputting apparatus, and portable terminal devices, andin particular relates to cameras, image inputting apparatus and portableterminal devices having view finder structures suitable for electroniccameras recording, in a recording medium, image information obtained byimage photographing elements such as a solid-state image photographingelement, etc., and methods of transforming the camera bodyconfiguration.

2. Discussion of the Background

In recent years, cameras called “digital cameras” have been rapidlypopularized. Digital cameras photograph an image of a subject by use ofa solid-state image photographing element such as, for instance, a CCD(Charge Coupled Device) image photographing element, etc. The camerasobtain image data of a static image (still image) or a moving image(movie image) of the subject, and digitally record the obtained data inan IC (Integrated Circuit) recording medium or a floppy disc, etc.Multi-media cards employing flash memory, SD cards, smart-media, andcompact flash memory, etc., called “smart cards,” are generally used asthe IC recording medium. In addition to those card-state recording mediacalled “smart cards,” recording media also employing flash memory in asimilar way but having other shapes than flat card-like shapes, forinstance, a memory stick, etc. are also used.

In the digital camera field, electronic functional parts have beenhighly developed, compared with conventional silver salt camerasemploying silver salt films, such that it is relatively easy to makedigital cameras small. In addition, restrictions as to the structure andarrangement of parts have been reduced, and freedom in cameraconfiguration has been increased. For this reason, there have appeareddigital cameras having new configurations different from that ofconventional cameras.

In reducing the size of a camera so that the portability thereof isenhanced, it is conceivable to form the camera in a small block, anelongated stick, or a flat shape. In reducing the size of a camera, ifthe requirement is only that the camera is suitable for being carried byhand or being hung around the neck as an accessory, the camera can bemade small in any shape so long as it is small enough to be easilycarried and the shape is suitable for use as an accessory. However, whenthe photographing operation is taken into consideration, if the camerais excessively small, the photographing operation tends to becomecomplicated or difficult. In addition, it may become difficult to holdthe camera at the time of photographing. Furthermore, when ease inputting the camera into a bag, etc. and convenience in placing thecamera in the bag are taken into consideration, an elongated-stick shapeor a flat shape is more preferable than a block shape.

A known digital camera, for example, Digital Camera SDC-007 of SamsungElectronics Corporation, has two folding configurations, as illustratedin FIG. 27. As illustrated FIG. 26, the camera is divided into threesections, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) displaying section D, anoperation board section T, and a lens system section L for imagephotographing operation. The LCD displaying section D and the operationboard section T are formed in a flat-box shape, and the camera can befolded with the axis of the lens system section L as the fulcrum. Whenthe camera is carried, it is folded in two such that the LCD displayingsection D is superposed on the operation board section T, so as to becompact.

However, when the above-described camera is folded in two, the thicknessthereof increases, causing inconvenience in being accommodated in a bagetc. Therefore, the portability of the camera is not necessarily good.

Further, when photographing with the above-described camera, the LCDdisplaying section D is opened with the lens system portion L as thefulcrum, and while holding the operation board section T horizontally, adesired subject is photographed by observing an image displayed on theLCD displaying section D. The above-described camera is thereforedifficult to hold, and is relatively poor in the operability. Further,hand shaking is easy to occur.

Furthermore, because of the large number of operational members such asthe power source switch, the function selecting button, etc. that arearranged on the operation board section T, the operational members tendto be erroneously operated when holding or gripping the operation boardsection T.

Moreover, because the operation board section T of the above-describedcamera is formed elongated in the back-and-forth direction, that is, inthe optical-axis direction of the lens system section L, it is difficultto hold the camera with one hand.

As described heretofore, digital cameras are desired to be compact,superior in portability, and shaped in appearance suitable for use as anaccessory when carried by the user. Furthermore, cameras are desired tobe easy to hold and operate when photographing. Other apparatuses eachhaving an image photographing function, such as the silver salt camera,the portable image inputting apparatus that can be used instead of animage scanner or a video camera, a portable telephone set, and aportable information terminal or a PDA (personal digital ass instant),etc., are likewise desired to be compact, superior in the portability,and shaped in an appearance suitable for use as an accessory whencarried by the user, and easy to hold and operate when photographing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above-discussed andother problems and addresses and solves the above-discussed and otherproblems.

Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide acamera, an image inputting apparatus, and a portable terminal device,that are superior in portability, easy to be formed in a good outerappearance, superior in operability including holding ease inphotographing and suitableness for one-hand operation, and hard to beshaken when photographing.

Preferred embodiment of the present invention further provide a methodof changing camera configurations.

In particular, preferred embodiments of the present invention provides acamera, an image inputting apparatus, and a portable terminal device,that have a good portability and appearance suitable for use as anaccessory and at the same time has superior holding ease and operabilityin photographing.

Further, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a methodof transforming the body of the camera, in which change can be easilymade between a first state in which superior carrying portability andappearance are obtained and a second state in which holding ease andoperability preferable in photographing are obtained.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the camerahas the camera body formed in a longitudinal rectangular shape, and inthe intermediate portion of the camera body, a flexion/transformationmechanism dividing the camera body into an image photographing sectionincluding a lens system for capturing the optical image of a subject anda gripping section for the photographer to grip the camera body at thetime of photographing is provided. The flexion/transformation mechanismis configured so as to dispose the image photographing section and thegripping section on the same straight line such that the camera body isformed in the longitudinal rectangular shape in the first state, and todispose the gripping section angled relative to said image photographingsection in the second state.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, thecamera has the camera body comprising an image photographing sectionincluding a lens system for capturing an optical image of the subject; agripping section for the photographer to grip at the time of performingthe image photographing operation; and a flexion/transformationmechanism that is configured to connect the end of the imagephotographing section with the end of the gripping section so as todispose the image photographing section and the gripping section on thesame straight line such that the camera body is formed in thelongitudinal rectangular shape in the first state, and to dispose thegripping section angled relative to the image photographing section inthe second state.

In each of the above cameras, the flexion/transformation mechanism mayinclude a flexional mechanism capable of angling the gripping section byalmost 90 degrees relative to the image photographing section.

Further, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include a mechanismconfigured to connect the image photographing section and the grippingsection with each other on an inclined surface obliquely intersectingwith a straight line in the first state of disposing the imagephotographing section and the gripping section on the same straight lineand to relatively rotate the both sections around the axis linesubstantially perpendicular to the inclined surface.

Furthermore, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include amechanism configured to connect the image photographing section and thegripping section with each other so as to be relatively rotatable on theaxis line substantially in parallel with the optical axis of the lenssystem in the state of disposing the image photographing section and thegripping section on the same straight line.

Still furthermore, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include aflexible connection member that cannot be easily bent, for connectingthe image photographing section and the gripping section with eachother.

Further, each of the above cameras may include a cover member that isconfigured to cover at least a part of the image photographing sectionand the flexion/transformation mechanism in the first state of disposingthe image photographing section and the gripping section on the samestraight line, so as to keep the state of disposing both sections on thesame straight line, and to slidably move the both sections in adirection along the straight line so as to expose the flexing portion ofthe flexion/transformation mechanism and the object surface of the lenssystem of the image photographing section.

Furthermore, in each of the above cameras, the image photographingsection may include at least one of a release button for performing arelease operation, a strobe light emitting section for irradiating anillumination light onto the subject, a display section for indicatingthe operation state of the camera, and an optical finder for confirmingthe photographing visual field.

Furthermore, the gripping section may accommodate at least one of abattery as a power source and an image recording medium for recordingthe image of the subject. Further, in the above cameras, two or more ofthe flexion/transformation mechanisms may be provided in theintermediate portion of the camera body formed in a longitudinalrectangular shape, and the portion of the camera body between an endportion of the camera body and one of the flexion/transformationmechanisms and the portion nipped by the flexion/transformationmechanisms may be constructed as the gripping section.

Furthermore, the cameras may include a communication device fortransmitting photographing information by wireless transmission.

Further, the cameras may include a power on/off device causing the powersource to co-operate with the flexion/transformation mechanism to turnon the power source when the gripping section is angled relative to thephotographing section.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, animage inputting apparatus includes a body formed in a longitudinalrectangular shape, and in the intermediate portion of the body, aflexion/transformation mechanism dividing the body into an imagephotographing section including a lens system for capturing the opticalimage of a subject and a gripping section for a photographer to grip thebody at the time of photographing is provided. Theflexion/transformation mechanism is configured so as to dispose theimage photographing section and the gripping section on a same straightline such that the body is formed in the longitudinal rectangular shapein the first state, and to dispose the gripping section angled relativeto the image photographing section in the second state.

According to still another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, an image inputting apparatus has a body including an imagephotographing section having a lens system for capturing the opticalimage of a subject; a gripping section for the photographer to grip atthe time of performing the image photographing operation; and aflexion/transformation mechanism that is configured to connect the endof the image photographing section and the end the gripping section soas to dispose the image photographing section and the gripping sectionon the same straight line such that the body is formed in thelongitudinal rectangular shape in the first state, and to dispose thegripping section angled relative to the image photographing section inthe second state.

In each of the above image inputting apparatuses, theflexion/transformation mechanism may include a flexional mechanismcapable of angling the gripping section by almost 90 degrees relative tothe image photographing section.

Further, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include a mechanismconfigured to connect the image photographing section and the grippingsection with each other on an inclined surface obliquely intersectingwith a straight line in the first state of disposing the imagephotographing section and the gripping section on the same straight lineand to relatively rotate the both sections around the axis linesubstantially perpendicular to the inclined surface.

Furthermore, the flexion/transformation mechanism may also include amechanism configured to connect the image photographing section and thegripping section with each other so as to be relatively rotatable on theaxis line substantially in parallel with the optical axis of the lenssystem in the first state of disposing the image photographing sectionand the gripping section on the same straight line.

Still furthermore, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include aflexible connection member that cannot be easily bent, for connectingthe image photographing section and the gripping section with eachother.

Further, each of the above image inputting apparatuses may include acover member to cover at least a part of the image photographing sectionand the flexion/transformation mechanism in the first state of disposingthe image photographing section and the gripping section on the samestraight line, so as to keep the state of disposing both sections on thesame straight line. The cover member slidably moves in a direction alongthe straight line so as to expose the flexing portion of theflexion/transformation mechanism and the object surface of the lenssystem of the image photographing section.

Further, the image photographing section may include at least one of aphotographing operation section for performing a photographingoperation, a strobe light emitting section, a display section forindicating an operation state of the apparatus, and an optical finderfor confirming a photographing visual field.

Furthermore, the gripping section may accommodate a battery as a powersource. Further, in each of the image inputting apparatuses, two or moreof the flexion/transformation mechanisms may be provided in theintermediate portion of the body formed in a longitudinal rectangularshape, and the portion of the body between an end portion of the bodyand one of the two or more of the flexion/transformation mechanisms andthe portion nipped by the flexion/transformation mechanisms may beconstructed so as to be the gripping section.

Furthermore, each of the image inputting apparatuses may include acommunication device for transmitting photographing information bywireless transmission.

Further, each of the image inputting apparatuses may include a poweron/off device causing a power source to co-operate with theflexion/transformation mechanism to turn on the power source when thegripping section is angled relative to the photographing section.According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, aportable terminal device has a body formed in a longitudinal rectangularshape, and in the intermediate portion of the body, aflexion/transformation mechanism dividing the body into an imagephotographing section including a lens system for capturing the opticalimage of a subject and a gripping section for the photographer to gripthe body at the time of photographing is provided. Theflexion/transformation mechanism is configured so as to dispose theimage photographing section and the gripping section on the samestraight line such that the body is formed in the longitudinalrectangular shape in a first state, and to dispose the gripping sectionangled relative to the image photographing section in a second state.

According to still another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, a portable terminal device has a body including an imagephotographing section including a lens system for capturing the opticalimage of a subject; a gripping section for the photographer to grip atthe time of performing the image photographing operation; and aflexion/transformation mechanism configured to connect the end of theimage photographing section with the end of the gripping section so asto dispose the image photographing section and the gripping section on asame straight line such that the body is formed in the longitudinalrectangular shape in a first state, and to dispose the gripping sectionangled relative to the image photographing section in a second state.

In each of the above portable terminal devices, theflexion/transformation mechanism may include a flexional mechanismcapable of angling the gripping section by almost 90 degrees relative tothe image photographing section.

Further, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include a mechanismconfigured to connect the image photographing section and the grippingsection with each other on the inclined surface obliquely intersectingwith the straight line in the first state of disposing the imagephotographing section and the gripping section on the same straight lineand to relatively rotate the both sections around the axis linesubstantially perpendicular to the inclined surface.

Furthermore, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include amechanism configured to connect the image photographing section and thegripping section with each other so as to be relatively rotatable on theaxis line substantially in parallel with the optical axis of the lenssystem in the first state of disposing the image photographing sectionand the gripping section on the same straight line.

Further, the flexion/transformation mechanism may include a flexibleconnection member that cannot be easily bent, for connecting the imagephotographing section and the gripping section with each other.

Furthermore, in each of the above portable terminal devices, the imagephotographing section may further include at least one of aphotographing operation section for performing a photographingoperation, a strobe light emitting section, a display section forindicating an operation state of the device, and an optical finder forconfirming the photographing visual field.

Further, the gripping section may accommodate a battery as a powersource. Furthermore, each of the above portable terminal devices mayinclude a communication device for transmitting photographinginformation by wireless transmission.

Further, the portable terminal devices may be a portable telephoneterminal having the function of a portable telephone, or a portableinformation terminal having the function of processing information.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, amethod of transforming the body of a camera includes the step of flexingand transforming the camera body formed in a longitudinal rectangularshape, with a flexion/transformation mechanism provided in theintermediate part of the camera body, such that the image photographingsection of the camera body including the lens system is substantiallyperpendicular to the remaining section of the camera body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendantadvantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera as viewed at the front-surfaceside (subject side) of the camera, illustrating the structure of thecamera in a state of being carried, according to a preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. 1 as viewed at theback-surface side (photographer side) of the camera;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating thestructure of the flexion/transformation mechanism of the camera;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at the back-surfaceside (photographer side) of the camera, illustrating the state of thecamera on the halfway of being flexed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at the back-surfaceside (photographer side) of the camera, illustrating a photographingstate of the camera after having been flexed;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the electronic structure of thecamera;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the state of gripping the camera at thetime of photographing;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the state of gripping the camera with adifferent flexion angle;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at thefront-surface side (subject side) of the camera, schematicallyillustrating the structure of the camera in the state of being carried,according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. 9 as viewed at theback-surface side (photographer side) of the camera;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at theback-surface side (photographer side) of the camera, illustrating thestate of the camera on the halfway of being flexed;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at theback-surface side (photographer side) of the camera, illustrating thephotographing state of the camera after having been flexed;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a camera as viewed at the front-surfaceside (subject side) of the camera, schematically illustrating thestructure of the camera in the state of being carried, according toanother preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. 13 as viewed at thefront-surface side (subject side) of the camera when a barrier cover ofa sliding type is slid for flexing the camera;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at thefront-surface side (subject side) of the camera, illustrating thephotographing state of the camera after having been flexed;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at thefront-surface side (subject side) of the camera, schematicallyillustrating the structure of the camera in the state of being carried,according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the camera of FIG. 16 as viewed at theback-surface side (photographer side) of the camera;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at theback-surface side (photographer side) of the camera, illustrating thestate of the camera on the halfway of being flexed;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at theback-surface side (photographer side) of the camera, illustrating thephotographing state of the camera after having been flexed;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a portable telephone terminal as viewedat the subject side of the terminal, schematically illustrating thestructure of the terminal in the state of being carried, according toanother preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the portable telephone terminal of FIG.20 as viewed at the photographer side of the terminal;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the portable telephone terminal asviewed at the photographer side, illustrating the state of the portabletelephone terminal on the halfway of being flexed;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the portable telephone terminal asviewed at the photographer side of the terminal, illustrating thephotographing state of the terminal after having been flexed;

FIG. 24 is a front view of the camera as viewed at the subject side ofthe camera, schematically illustrating the structure of the camera inthe state of being carried, according to another preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 25 is a back-surface view of the camera of FIG. 24 as viewed at thephotographer side of the camera, illustrating the photographing state ofthe camera after having been flexed;

FIG. 26 is a front view of the camera as viewed at the subject side ofthe camera, illustrating the photographing state of the camera afterhaving been flexed; and

FIG. 27 is a perspective view illustrating an outer appearanceconfiguration of a background electronic camera.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In describing the preferred embodiment of the present inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawings, specific terminology isemployed for the sake of clarity. However, the present invention is notintended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it isto be understood that each specific element includes all technicalequivalents which operate in a similar manner.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, wherein like referencenumerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout theseveral views or diagrams, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 26,there are illustrated a camera, an image inputting apparatus, a portableterminal device, and a method of changing camera configuration,according to preferred embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 1 through 6 illustrate the structure of a camera according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview as viewed at the front-surface side of the camera, that is, thesubject side of the camera, schematically illustrating the structure ofthe camera in a state of being carried, and FIG. 2 is a perspective viewas viewed at the back-surface side of the camera, that is, thephotographer side of the camera of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematiccross-sectional view for explaining the structure of theflexion-deformation mechanism section of the camera. FIG. 4 is aperspective view of the camera as viewed at the back-surface side,illustrating the state of the camera on the halfway of being flexed.FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at the back-surfaceside of the camera, illustrating the photographing state of the cameraafter having been flexed. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating theelectronic structure of the camera.

The camera 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is, for instance, anelectronic camera, which is provided with an image photographing section11, a gripping section 12 and a flexion/transformation mechanism 13.

The image photographing section 11 is mainly a part directly relating tophotographing of a subject image. The photographing section 11 includesa lens system 11 a, a strobe light emitting section 11 b, an opticalfinder 11 c, a release button 11 d, a mode button section 11 e, anoperation button 11 f, and a display section 11 g. Furthermore, the mainpart of an electronic circuit realizing the image photographing functionof the camera 1 is accommodated in the image photographing section 11.The lens system 11 a captures an optical image of a subject. The strobelight emitting section 11 b radiates an illumination light onto asubject. The optical finder 11 c is used for confirming a visual fieldof an image to be photographed by the lens system 11 a with an opticalimage. Herein, although the finder should be referred to as a “viewfinder” to be exact, because the finder is generally and widely called a“finder”, hereinafter, is simply called so. The release button 11 dcauses a timing of image photographing by being operated, and releaseoperation is performed when it is operated. The mode button 11 eincludes one or more push switch buttons. Those buttons are used forperforming the selection and setting of photographing modes and varioussorts of operation modes, etc.

The operation button section 11 f includes various sorts of operationbuttons besides the mode button 11 e, and the operation button section11 f is used for various sorts of operations besides the mode selectionand setting. The display section 11 g includes an LCD (Liquid CrystalDisplay), etc., and the display section 11 g displays operation statesresulting from the operation of the mode buttons 11 e or the operationbutton section 11 f, the number of photographed subjects, residualquantity of electricity in the battery, and other states of the camera1.

The gripping section 12 is used as a grip for holding the camera at thetime of photographing. The gripping section 12 accommodates, forinstance, a battery as the power source and a recording medium forrecording the image of the subject. Typically, the recording medium, asdescribed above, uses a flash memory, such as a multi-media card, a SDcard, a smart media, a compact flash memory, or a memory stick. For thisreason, the gripping section 12 is provided with a memory cover 12 athat opens and closes when setting and removing the recording medium.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the image photographing section 11and the gripping section 12 are linearly connected and arranged to forma quadrangular cylindrical body at the time of being carried. Asillustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the image photographing section 11 andthe gripping section 12 are closely connected with each other on aninclined surface intersecting with an axis line of the quadrangularcylindrical body, for instance, a plane inclined by almost 45E relativeto upper and lower surfaces of the camera 1. A flexion/transformationmechanism 13 is provided at a junction where the image photographingsection 11 and the gripping section 12 are connected with each other. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, the flexion/transformation mechanism 13 isconstructed with a hollow cylindrical combining shaft section 11 hprotruding from the image photographing section 11, a flangestop-engaging section 11 i expanding to the outer circumference at theend of the protruding combining shaft section 11 h, and a passingthrough hole 12 b formed at the gripping section 12. The combining shaftsection 11 h is inserted into the passing-through hole 12 b androtatably fitted thereto. A female screw of the flange stop-engagingsection 11 i engages with a male screw formed on the outer circumferenceof the combining shaft section 11 h so as to prevent the combining shaftsection 11 h from slipping out therefrom. The combining section isconstructed so as to have a suitable resistance to rotative movementutilizing frictional or viscous damping, etc., although not illustratedin FIG. 3, and is further constructed so as to stop at a predeterminedrotational position as described later by use of a click stop mechanism,etc.

By use of the flexion/transformation mechanism 13 as described above,the image photographing section 11 and the gripping section 12 areconnected with each other so as to be rotated around the combining shaftsection 11 h. Thereby, the camera 1 can be flexed and transformed inchanging between a carrying state as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 inwhich the photographing section 11 and the gripping section 12 arearranged on a same straight line such that the camera 1 is formed in ashape of a quadrangular cylinder stick and a photographing state asillustrated in FIG. 5 in which the image photographing section 11 andthe gripping section 12 are almost perpendicular to each other forming ashape of a reversed “L”.

Namely, in the carrying state of the camera 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 andFIG. 2, the camera 1 is formed in a stick-like shape, such that thecamera 1 is suitable for being carried in a bag, etc. or for being hungaround the neck or the wrist by attaching a strap to the camera 1.Because it is difficult to photograph with the camera 1 in such a state,the image photographing section 11 and the gripping section 12 arerotated relatively by use of the flexion/transformation mechanism 13illustrated in FIG. 3. The rotation shaft of the combining shaft section11 h of the flexion/transformation mechanism 13 is the axis line Aillustrated in FIG. 2. When the gripping section 12 is rotated in theclockwise direction as illustrated in FIG. 2 from the combining surfacewith the image photographing section 11, the gripping section 12 isgradually angled relative to the image photographing section 11 asillustrated in FIG. 4. Finally, at the time of rotating by almost 180degrees, the gripping section 12 becomes perpendicular to the imagephotographing section 11 as illustrated in FIG. 5, which is aphotographing state.

In such a state, as illustrated in FIG. 7, for instance, by gripping thegripping section 12 with the right hand, the photographer can easilyoperate the release button 11 d with the index finger of the grippingright hand while viewing at the window of the optical finder 11C. Forproperly maintaining the above-described configurations of the carryingstate and the photographing state even when an external force is appliedto the camera 1, it is preferable to provide a stopping mechanism suchas a click stop mechanism, etc. to the flexion/transformation mechanism13, at the position corresponding to the carrying state illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2 and at the position corresponding to the photographingstate illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of an electroniccircuit system for operating the camera 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 1through 5. The electronic circuit system of the camera 1 illustrated inFIG. 6 includes an operating section 101, a release 102, an imagephotographing process section 103, an AF (Automatic Focusing)/AE(Automatic Exposure) control section 104, a strobe 105, a recordingcontrolling section 106, a camera controlling section 107, a displayingapparatus 108, a transfer controlling section 109, and a power source110.

The operating section 101 supplies operation information, by operatingthe mode button section 11 e and the operation button section 11 f, etc.in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, to the image photographing process section 103and the camera controlling section 107.

The release 102 supplies the release information, by operating therelease button 11 d, to the image photographing process section 103, andcauses the image photographing section 103 to perform taking-in of imagedata, that is, image photographing. The image photographing processsection 103 operates the AF/AE control section 104, the strobe 105, therecord controlling section 106, and the camera controlling section 107,etc. on the basis of a photographing mode set at that time point inresponse to release information, by operating the release button 11 d,given from the release 102. The image photographing process section 103causes each unit to selectively perform an AF and AE control, a lightemission control of the strobe 105, a control of recording into arecording medium, and other controls of the camera operation as occasiondemands, such that the image photographing operation is performed.

The AF/AE control section 104 co-operates with the image photographingprocess section 103, for instance, so as to perform an AF control on thebasis of distance measuring information obtained by transmission/receiptof a distance measuring beam using an active method through an AF window(not illustrated). Furthermore, the AF/AE control section 104 obtainsinformation of the light amount of a subject from the lens system 11 aand the optical finder 11 c, etc., a specially provided light-receivingelement, or an image photographing element in the image photographingprocess section 103, so as to properly perform the exposure control.

The strobe 105 is controlled by the image photographing process section103 and operates to activate the strobe light emitting section 11 b whenrequired in the AE control with the AF/AE control section 104 or when soinstructed by a manual operation on the operating section 101. Therecord controlling section 106 writes image data obtained by the imagephotographing section 103 in a recording medium.

The camera controlling section 107 controls the image photographingprocess section 103 in accordance with the operation of the operatingsection 101 and causes the operation section 103 to perform thephotographing operation. The display apparatus 108 is controlled by thecamera control section 107, and has the function of displaying the stateof the photographing mode, an operation mode of the strobe 105, andinformation of the voltage state of the power source 110 on a statedisplaying image surface of the display apparatus 108 on the basis ofthe operating state of the image photographing process section 103 andthe camera controlling section 107.

The transfer controlling section 109 takes image data stored in arecording medium through the record controlling section 106 on the basisof the control of the camera controlling section 107 in accordance withthe operation of the operating section 101, and transfers selectively orcollectively the taken-out image data by use of a wire or wirelesssystem to an outside PC (Personal Computer) or a portable informationterminal (PDA), etc. In the transfer controlling section 109, forwireless communication with the PC or the portable information terminal,etc. at the time of transferring the image data, for instance, aninterface based on the Bluetooth standard can be used. A battery is usedfor the power source 110 to supply the operational electric power to theabove-described respective parts. The above-described gripping section12 accommodates the battery as the power source 110 and a recordingmedium installing section, etc. In such a structure, it is necessary tosupply electricity to the image photographing section 11 from thegripping section 12 and also to transmit and receive electric signalsbetween the gripping section 12 and the image photographing section 11.Electricity supplying and signal lines can be inserted through thehollow portion of the flexion/transformation mechanism 13. A well-knownslip ring and a movable conductive mechanism such as a brush, etc. canbe also used in the flexion/transformation mechanism 13.

Moreover, the display apparatus 108 may be configured to include adisplay section 11 g capable of displaying an image, and the cameracontrolling section 107 can cause the display section 11 g of thedisplay apparatus 108 to display subject images before beingphotographed or being photographed, or photographed subject imagesstored in a recording medium. On this occasion, the display apparatus108 is controlled by the camera controlling section 107, so as todisplay subject images before being photographed or being photographedwith the image photographing element of the image photographing processsection 103 on a screen of the display section 11 g such that thedisplay apparatus 108 is used as the electronic finder, or to reproduceand display subject images stored in the recording medium, etc. with therecord controlling section 106.

By thus structuring the camera 1 as described above, when the camera 1is carried, the camera 1 can be put in a stick-like shape having apreferable outer appearance, so as to be superior in the portability andto be capable of being used as an accessory. Further, when photographingwith the camera 1, the camera 1 can be flexed and transformed by theflexion/transformation mechanism 13, such that the image photographingsection 11 is almost horizontal while the gripping section 12 is almostvertical, i.e., formed in a reversed L-shape. Thereby, the camera 1 canbe held surely, and there is almost no danger of instability caused by ashaky hand because of the adoption of a reversed L-shape.

In the above-described embodiment, the camera 1 is constructed such thatthe image photographing section 11 is almost horizontal and the gripingsection 12 is angled almost vertical, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7.However, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the relative angle between the imagephotographing section 11 and the gripping section 12 may be set to anangle exceeding 90 degrees, while keeping the image photographingsection 11 almost in the horizontal state, and setting the grippingsection 12 in a state of being slightly inclined from the verticalstate.

In order to attain the above-described state, it may be preferable toset the inclined angle of the combining surface between the imagephotographing section 11 and the gripping section 12 relative to theupper and lower surfaces of the camera 1 to an angle larger than 45degrees and smaller than 90 degrees. In FIG. 8, the angle is 60 degrees.Probably, the range of 45-70 degrees may be practical. When the size ofthe camera 1 is excessively small and when the optical finder 11 c andthe strobe of the image photographing section 11 are located at thevicinity of the flexion/transformation mechanism 13, there arises adanger of covering the front part of the camera 1 with a finger, forinstance, with the middle finger. However, as illustrated in FIG. 8,when the gripping section 12 is further inclined from the verticalstate, the problem of covering the front portion of the strobe, etc. isavoided. In addition, the gripping section can be gripped furtherstably.

FIGS. 9 through 12 illustrate the structure of a camera according toanother preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is aperspective view of the camera as viewed at the front-surface side ofthe camera, namely, at the subject side, schematically illustrating thestructure of the camera in a carrying state thereof. FIG. 10 is aperspective view of the camera as viewed at the back-surface side of thecamera, namely, at the photographer side. FIG. 11 is a perspective viewof the camera as viewed at the back-surface side of the cameraillustrating the state of the camera on the halfway of flexing thecamera illustrated in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of thecamera as viewed at the back surface side of the camera in the state ofphotographing after having been flexed. In this embodiment, theelectronic structure of the camera is substantially the same as that ofFIG. 6.

A camera 2 illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 is, for instance, an electroniccamera includes an image photographing section 21, a gripping section22, and a flexion/transformation mechanism 23.

The image photographing section 21 is a part directly relating tophotographing a subject image. The photographing section 21 includes alens system 21 a, a strobe light emitting section 21 b, an opticalfinder 21 c, a release button 21 d, a mode button section 21 e, anoperating button section 21 f, and a display section 21 g. Furthermore,the main part of an electronic circuit of realizing the imagephotographing function is accommodated in the image photographingsection 21.

The lens system 21 a captures the optical image of the subject. Thestrobe light emitting section 21 b radiates an illumination light ontothe subject. The optical finder 21 c is used for confirming the area ofphotographing visual field to be photographed by the lens system 21 awith an optical image. The release button 21 d is disposed on the uppersurface side of the image photographing section 21 in the vicinity ofthe flexion/transformation mechanism 23, and instructs an imagephotographing timing by being depressed so that a release operation isperformed. The mode button section 21 e includes several buttons of thepush button switch type. The mode button section 21 e is used forselecting and setting of a photographing mode and an operation mode. Theoperating button section 21 f includes various sorts of operationbuttons, beside the mode button 21 e, and is used for various operationsbesides the mode selection and setting. The display section 21 gincludes a liquid crystal display, and displays the operating state, thenumber of photographed subjects, the residual amount of the electricityin a battery, and the other operation states, resulting from theoperations of the mode button section 21 e and the operating buttonsection 21 f.

The gripping section 22 is a portion used as the grip for gripping thecamera 2 at the time of photographing. The gripping section 22accommodates a battery as the power source and a recording medium forrecording a subject image. For this reason, a memory cover 22 a foropening and closing at the time of setting and removing the recordingmedium is provided for the gripping section 22.

At the time of carrying, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the imagephotographing section 21 and the gripping section 22 are linearlycombined into one arranged in the shape of a quadrangular cylinder. Thecombining portions of the image photographing section 21 and thegripping section 22 have projecting portions 21 p and 22 p that projectalong respective side surfaces at end portions thereof, respectivelyhaving the thickness equally divided into two in the width directionthereof. Those projections 21 p and 22 p are connected with each otherby closely bringing into contact with other respective side wallsthereof facing knotch portions and parallel with the front and rearsurfaces of the camera 2, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. A rotationalconnection mechanism substantially the same as the one of FIG. 3 capableof rotating around the axis line B parallel with the optical axis of thelens system 21 a is provided at the surface where the side walls of theprojections 21 p and 22 p contact each other, thus realizing aflexion/transformation mechanism 23.

With the above-described flexion/transformation mechanism 23, the imagephotographing section 21 and the gripping section 22 are combined androtated around the axis (axis line B), and thereby the camera 2 can beflexed and transformed from a carrying state in which, as illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10, the image photographing section 21 and the grippingsection 22 are arranged on a same straight line such that the camera 2is in a shape of an elongated quadrangular cylinder stick, to aphotographing state in which, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the camera 2 isin a shape of an inverse “L”. Namely, in the carrying state asillustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the camera 2 is in a shape of a stick soas to be suitable for being carried in a bag or for attaching a strapetc. thereto so that the camera 2 can be hung on the neck or the wristinstead of being carried in the bag. However, because it is difficult toperform a photographing operation in the carrying state, thephotographing section 21 and the gripping section 22 are relativelyrotated by use of the flexion/transformation mechanism 23. Therotational axis of the flexion/transformation mechanism 23 is the axisline B illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 11. When the gripping section 22is rotated in the clockwise direction from the image photographingsection 21 as illustrated in FIG. 10, the gripping section 22 isgradually angled relative to the photographing section 21 as illustratedin FIG. 11. When the gripping section 22 rotates by almost 90 degrees,the gripping section 22 becomes almost perpendicular to thephotographing section 21 as illustrated in FIG. 12. In this state, as inthe case of FIG. 7, by gripping the camera 2 with the right hand, forinstance, the photographer can easily operate the release button 21 dwith the gripping right hand, while viewing at the window of the opticalfinder 21 c.

For maintaining the aforementioned carrying state and photographingstate even when there exists an external force, it may be preferable toprovide a stopping mechanism such as a click stop mechanism, etc. forthe flexion/transformation mechanism 23 on the position corresponding tothe carrying state illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 and on the positioncorresponding to the photographing state illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12.The electronic circuit system for operating the camera 2 illustrated inFIGS. 9 through 12 uses a structure substantially the same as that ofthe block diagram illustrated in FIG. 6.

The aforementioned gripping section 22 accommodates a battery employedas the power source and a recording medium installing section, and it isnecessary to supply electricity to the image photographing section 21and to exchange electric signals therebetween. Power supplying signallines between the both photographing section 21 and the gripping section22 can be inserted through a hollow portion of theflexion/transformation mechanism 23, although not illustrated in therelevant figures. A well-known movable conductive mechanism including aslip ring and a brush, etc. can be also used in theflexion/transformation mechanism 23.

Furthermore, the display section 21 g may be capable of displaying animage, and may be configured to display a subject image beforephotographing or being photographed or to reproduce and display aphotographed subject image stored in a recording medium. On thisoccasion, the subject image before photographing or being photographed,which is obtained by the image photographing element, is displayed onthe image surface of the displaying section 21 g, such that thedisplaying section 21 g can be used as an electronic view finder.

Thus, the camera 2 can be made in the shape of a stick superior in theportability and having a preferable outer appearance suitable for beingused as an accessory at the time of being carried. Further, the camera 2can be flexed and transformed by the flexion/transformation mechanism 23at the time of photographing, such that the image photographing section21 is almost horizontal and the gripping section 22 is almost vertical.Therefore, the camera 2 has a configuration of an inverse “L”, such thatthe camera 2 can be securely held by the photographer, with very lowprobability of being shaken.

Furthermore, the flexion angle formed by the flexion/transformationmechanism 23 can be optionally set easily. A desired angle other thanthe right angle can be set, for example, by regulating the flexion withthe desired angle or by providing a click stop mechanism to set one ormore desired angles. Furthermore, by configuring the gripping section 22to stop at plural flexion angles, the flexion angle can be selectivelyset in accordance with a desired angle.

Furthermore, a twisting spring may be suspended over a curvature portionbetween the gripping section 22 and the image photographing section 21,so as to energize the gripping section 22 to move into the photographingstate, and to move the gripping section 22 into the carrying state,while opposing against the above-described twisting spring, to bestopped by a stopping mechanism to maintain the carrying state.

With the above-described structure, when the camera 2 is in the carryingstate, the gripping section 22 of the camera 2 can be gripped with theright hand, and the stopping state of the stopping mechanism can bereleased with the finger of the right hand, for instance, the thumb.Thus, according to the above-described embodiment of the presentinvention, a camera that can be operated by a single hand and that canbe operated at a fast speed can be provided.

Furthermore, camera 2 may be configured such that the imagephotographing section 21 can be rotated, while the gripping section 22is being held with the right hand, although not illustrated in thefigures.

Namely, referring to FIG. 11 as an example, the camera 2 is constructedsuch that a knob capable of rotating the image photographing section 21is provided on a portion of the projection 22 p of the gripping section22, and a part of the outer circumference of the knob protrudes from thesurface of the projection 22 p.

In such a structure, by griping the gripping section 22 of the camera 2with the right hand, the knob can be rotated with the thumb of the righthand. Therefore, the configuration of the camera 2 can be easily changedfrom the photographing state to the carrying state or vice versa, thusimproving usage convenience of the camera 2.

FIGS. 13 through 15 illustrate the structure of a camera according toanother embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a perspectiveview of the camera as viewed at the front-surface side, that is, thesubject side illustrating a structure in the state of being carried.FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the camera as viewed at thefront-surface side illustrating a state of starting flexion of thecamera illustrated in FIG. 13. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of thecamera as viewed at the front-surface side illustrating a state ofphotographing after having been flexed. The electronic structure of thecamera is substantially the same as that of FIG. 6.

The camera of this embodiment uses the flexion/transformation mechanismof the previous embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 12. In thestate of being carried, a slide cover for covering the entire portion ofthe image photographing section also covers the flexion/transformationmechanism section. Thereby, unintentional flexion due to a malfunctionof the flexion/transformation mechanism can be prevented, and theconvenience of carrying the camera is realized in addition to theimprovement of an outer appearance. When putting the camera in thephotographing state, the aforementioned slide cover is slid in adirection of the arrow S in FIG. 14, so that the flexion/transformationmechanism section is exposed and the restriction regulation thereof isreleased, and is bent as illustrated in FIG. 15. When the slide cover isslid, windows provided in the slide cover corresponding to the lenssystem and the strobe light emitting section are positioned where thelens system and the strobe light emitting section, etc. are seen throughthe windows, such that the lens system and the strobe light emittingsection can be used.

A camera 3 illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 is, for instance, anelectronic camera provided with an image photographing section 31, agripping section 32, and a flexion/transformation mechanism 33.

The image photographing section 31 is the portion directly relating tophotographing of a subject image. The photographing section 31 includesa lens system 31 a, a strobe light emitting section 31 b, an opticalfinder 31 c, a release button 31 d, a mode button section 31 e, and adisplay section 31 g. Furthermore, the main portion of an electroniccircuit for realizing the image photographic function of the camera 3 isaccommodated in the image photographing section 31. The lens system 31 acaptures an optical image of a subject. The strobe light-emittingsection 31 b radiates an illumination light onto the subject. Theoptical finder 31 c is used for confirming the area of a visual field tobe photographed by the lens system 31 a. The release button 31 dinstructs a timing of photographing and performs a release operation bybeing operated. The mode button section 31 e includes several pushbuttons of push button switches, and the mode button section 31 e isused for selecting and setting a photographing mode and an operationmode, etc.

The camera 3 includes various sorts of operation buttons, besides themode button 31 e, as in the case of the previous embodiment illustratedin FIGS. 10 through 12, although not illustrated in FIGS. 13 through 15,and an operation button section used for various sorts of operationsbesides the mode selection and setting is further provided. The displaysection 31 g includes an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), etc., and thedisplay section 31 g displays the operating state of the mode buttonsection 31 e, the number of photographed subjects, the residual amountof battery electricity, and the other states of operation.

The gripping section 32 is used as the grip for gripping the camera 3 atthe time of photographing, and accommodates therein, for instance, abattery as the power source and a recording medium for recording theimage of a subject. For this season, a memory cover 32 a for opening andclosing at the time of setting and removing the recording medium isprovided.

In the carrying state, the image photographing section 31 and thegripping section 32 are linearly combined and arranged in the form of aquadrangular cylinder as illustrated in FIG. 13. The combining portionsof the image photographing section 31 and the gripping section 32 have,as illustrated in FIG. 14, projecting portions 31 p and 32 p thatproject along respective side surfaces at end portions thereof,respectively having the thickness equally divided into two in the widthdirection thereof. Those projections 31 p and 32 p are connected witheach other by closely bringing into contact with each other respectiveside walls thereof facing notch portions and parallel of with the frontand rear surfaces facing of the camera 2, as illustrated in FIG. 14. Arotational connection mechanism almost same as the one of FIG. 3 capableof rotating around the axis line parallel with the optical axis of thelens system 31 a is provided at surface where the side walls of theprojections 21 p and 22 p contact each other, thus realizing theflexion/transformation mechanism 33.

With the above-described flexion/transformation mechanism 33, the imagephotographing section 31 and the gripping section 32 are combined androtated around the axis line, and thereby the camera 2 can be flexed andtransformed from a carrying state in which, as illustrated in FIG. 13,the image photographing section 31 and the gripping section 32 arearranged on a same straight line such that the camera 2 is in anelongated quadrangular cylinder stick, to a photographing state inwhich, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the photographing section 31 and thegripping section 32 are perpendicular to each other such that the camera3 is in a shape of an inverse “L”.

Furthermore, a slide cover 31 j for covering the camera 3 is provided atthe side of the image photographing section 31 such that in the carryingstate where the photographing section 31 and the gripping section 32 arearranged in a straight line, the cover 31 j covers the circumference ofthe camera 3 in the area from the image photographing section 31 to theflexion/transformation mechanism 33. The sliding cover 31 j is capableof sliding to move in the area almost equal to the length of theflexion/transformation mechanism 33. Windows are provided in the slidingcover 31 j such that in a state where the slide cover 31 j has beenmoved in the direction of an arrow S so as to expose theflexion/transformation mechanism section 33, as illustrated in FIG. 14,the lens system 31 a, the strobe light emitting section 31 b and thedisplay section 31 g can be used. Because those windows do notcorrespond to respective positions of the lens system 31 a, the strobelight emitting section 31 b, and the display section 31 g when theflexion/transformation mechanism 33 is pushed into and covered by thesliding cover 31 j, the outer surface of the lens system 31 a, the lightemitting section 31 b, and the display section 31 g are covered andprotected by the slide cover 31 j as illustrated in FIG. 13.

Because the optical finder 31 c is situated at the tip end of the imagephotographing section 31 in the case of FIG. 13, the optical finder 31 ccannot be opened and closed by the sliding cover 31 j. Therefore, anobject lens section and an eye lens section are respectively formed asthinly as possible, so as to be integrally provided at the walls at theboth sides of the slide cover 31 j. Needless to mention, if thepositional relationship is allowed, even the optical finder 31 c can beopened and closed by the slide cover 31 j.

Furthermore, the release button 31 d and the mode setting button section31 e, etc. are constructed such that respective internal structures areconnected with the buttons on the slide cover 31 j in the state wherethe flexion/transformation mechanism 33 section has been exposed, asillustrated in FIG. 14. The release button 31 d, the mode setting buttonsection 31 e, and the display section 31 g, etc. may be thinly formed soas to be integrally provided with the slide cover 31 j. In this case, itmay be configured such that, on-off-operations of a part or all of thefunctions of those units 31 d, 31 e, and 31 g can be controlled incooperation with a sliding operation of the slide cover 31 j, so as toprevent an erroneous operation in the carrying state.

Furthermore, it may be preferable that a step is formed on the boundaryarea between the flexion/transformation mechanism 33 section covered bythe slide cover 31 j in the carrying state and the other sections of thegripping section 32, so that as illustrated in FIG. 13, the outersurfaces of the slide cover 31 j and the outer surface of the grippingsection 32 smoothly continue. Furthermore, in the state where theflexion/transformation mechanism 33 is pushed into the slide cover 31 j,the flexion/transformation mechanism 33 is locked, so as not tofunction. Therefore, the camera 3 cannot be flexed. Owing to such amechanism, there occurs no flexion/transformation in the camera 3 due toa outside force in the carrying state. Furthermore, it is desirable thata strap, etc. is mounted on a button portion of the gripping section 32(the left-edge surface of the gripping section 32 in FIG. 13).

Thus, in the carrying state illustrated in FIG. 13, the camera 3 is inthe shape of a stick. Therefore, the camera 3 is suitable for beingcarried in a bag or being hung around a neck or a wrist. Whenphotographing, the slide cover 31 j is moved in the direction of thearrow S in FIG. 14, so that the locked state of theflexion/transformation mechanism 13 is released. Then, the imagephotographing section 31 and the gripping section 32 can be rotationallymoved relatively to each other by the flexion/transformation mechanism33.

The rotation axis of the flexion/transformation mechanism 33 is parallelwith the optical axis of the lens system 31 a as the axis line Billustrated in FIGS. 9 through 11. When the gripping section 32 isrotated in the counterclockwise direction from the image photographingsection 31 in FIG. 14, the gripping section 32 becomes almostperpendicular to the image photographing section 31 when the grippingsection 32 has been rotated by at almost 90 degrees, as illustrated inFIG. 15. In this state, as in the case of FIG. 9, by gripping thegripping section 32 with the right hand, the release button 31 d can beeasily handled with the griping right hand, while viewing the window ofthe optical finder 31 c.

For maintaining the above-described photographing state even when thereexists an external force, it may be desirable to provide a stoppingmechanism, such as a click stop mechanism, etc. for theflexion/transformation mechanism 33 at the position corresponding to thephotographing state illustrated in FIG. 15. The electronic circuitsystem for operating the camera 3 illustrated in FIGS. 13 through 15uses a structure substantially the same as that illustrated in FIG. 6.

The gripping section 32 accommodates a battery used as the power sourceand a recording medium installing section, and therefore it is necessaryto supply electricity to the image photographing section 31 and toexchange electric signals therebetween. Power supplying/signal linesbetween the photographing section 31 and the gripping section 32 can beinserted through a hollow portion of the flexion/transformationmechanism 33, although not illustrated in the relevant figures. Needlessto mention, it may be allowable to use a well-known slip ring andslidable conductive mechanism such as a brush, etc. in theflexion/transformation 33.

Further, the display section 31 g can be capable of displaying an image,so that a subject image before photographing or being photographed canbe displayed by use of the display section 31 g, or that a photographedsubject image stored in a recording medium is reproduced and displayed.On this occasion, the subject image before photographing or beingphotographed by an image photographing element is displayed on an imagesurface of the displaying section 31 g, thus using the displayingsection 31 g as an electronic view finder.

Furthermore, in the above-described structure, the main portions of theflexion/transformation mechanism 33 and the image photographing section31 are inserted into the slide cover 31 j.

However, the slide cover 31 jb may be configured to be integrated withthe image photographing section 31 such that only theflexion/transformation mechanism 33 section is inserted into the slidecover 31 j by the slide movement of the slide cover 31 j. In this case,if a cover for the lens system 31 a, etc. is required, the cover may beprovided to the photographing section 31 as an exclusive cover memberfor opening and closing in cooperation with the operation of the slidecover 31 j.

By constructing a camera as described above, the camera can be made inthe shape of a stick, superior in the portability and suitable in theouter appearance for being carried as an accessory. Further, at the timeof photographing, the camera can be flexed and transformed by theflexion/transformation mechanism 33, such that the image photographingsection 31 is almost horizontal and the gripping section 32 is almostvertical, forming an inverse “L” shape enabling the secure holding ofthe camera by the photographer and causing very low probability of beinghand shaken.

Furthermore, the flexion angle formed by the flexion/transformationmechanism 33 can be optionally set easily. For example, by regulatingflexion of the flexion/transformation mechanism 33 at a desired angle orby setting one or more desired angles by use of a click stop mechanism,etc., it may be possible to set the flexion angle to a desired anglebesides a right angle. Furthermore, by configuring the gripping section21 to be stopped at plural flexion angles, the flexion angle can beselectively set in accordance with the desired angle.

FIGS. 16 through 19 illustrate a structure of a camera according toanother preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is aperspective view of the camera as viewed at the front-surface sidethereof, that is, the subject side, illustrating a structure in a stateof being carried. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the cameraillustrated in FIG. 16 as viewed at the back-surface side thereof, thatis, the photographer side, FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the cameraas viewed at the back-surface side thereof, illustrating a state of thecamera on the halfway of being flexed. FIG. 19 is a perspective view ofthe camera as viewed at the back-surface side thereof, illustrating astate of the camera after having been flexed. In this embodiment also,the electronic structure of the camera is substantially same as that ofFIG. 6. A camera 4 illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 is, for instance, anelectronic camera. The camera 4 is provided with an image photographingsection 41, a gripping section 42 and a flexion/transformation mechanism43.

The image photographing section 41 is mainly the part directly relatingto photographing of a subject image. The section 41 includes a lenssystem 41 a, a strobe light emitting section 41 b, an optical finder 41c, a release button 41 d, a mode button section 41 e, an operationbutton 11 f, and a display section 41 g. Furthermore, the main part ofthe electronic circuit for realizing the image photographing function ofthe camera 4 is accommodated in the image photographing section 41. Thelens system 41 a captures an optical image of the subject. The strobelight emitting section 41 b radiates an illumination light onto thesubject. The optical finder 41 c is used for confirming the visual fieldof the image to be photographed by the lens system 41 a with the opticalimage.

The release button 41 d instructs the timing of image photographing bybeing operated, and a release operation is performed at that time. Themode button section 41 e includes one or more buttons such as pushbuttons. These buttons are used in selection and setting operations of aphotographing mode and various sorts of operation modes, etc.

The operation button section 41 f includes various sorts of operationbuttons, etc. besides the mode button 41 e, and the operation buttonsection 41 f is used for various sorts of operations besides the modeselection and setting operations. The display section 41 g includes anLCD (Liquid Crystal Display), etc., and the display section 41 gdisplays the operation states as a result of the operations of the modebutton section 41 e and the operation button section 41 f, the number ofphotographed subjects, the residual quantity of electricity in abattery, and the other operation states of the camera 4.

The gripping section 42 is the part used as the grip for gripping thecamera 4 at the time of photographing. The gripping section 42accommodates, for instance, a battery as the power source and arecording medium for recording an image of a subject. Typically, therecording medium is the one using therein a flash memory, such as amulti-media card, a SD card, a smart media, a compact flash memory, anda memory stick, etc. For this reason, the gripping section 42 isprovided with a memory cover 42 a opening and closing at the time ofsetting and removing the recording medium.

As illustrated in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, when the camera 4 is carried, theimage photographing section 41 and the gripping section 42 are linearlyconnected with each other and arranged so as to form a quadrangularcylindrical body. The flexion/transformation mechanism 43 is interposedbetween the image photographing section 41 and the gripping section 42.The flexion/transformation mechanism 43 has an outer appearance justlike bellows and is flexibly deformable. The flexion/transformationmechanism 43 includes a member capable of holding the carrying state ofthe camera 4 against an external force applied to the camera in thecarrying state.

The image photographing section 41 and the gripping section 42 areconnected with each other with the flexion/transformation mechanism 43,and by flexing the flexion/transformation mechanism 43, the camera 4 canbe flexed and transformed between the carrying state illustrated in FIG.16 and FIG. 17, in which the photographing section 41 and the grippingsection 42 are arranged on the same straight line such that the camera 4is formed in the shape of quadrangular cylinder stick, to thephotographing state as illustrated in FIG. 19, in which the imagephotographing section 41 and the gripping section 42 are almostperpendicular to each other such that the photographing section 41 andthe gripping section 42 forms the shape of a reverse “L”.

Namely, in the carrying state illustrated in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, thecamera 4 is in the stick state, and therefore is suitable for beingcarried in a bag, etc. or for attaching a strap thereto so as to be hungaround the neck or the wrist. In photographing, because it is difficultto photograph with the camera 4 in the carrying state, the camera 4 isrelatively flexed by use of the flexion/transformation mechanism 43. Byrotating the gripping section 42 in the clockwise direction asillustrated in FIG. 17 relative to the image photographing section 41,the gripping section 42 is gradually angled relative to the imagephotographing section 41 as illustrated in FIG. 18. Finally, at the timeof rotating by almost 90 degrees, the gripping section 42 becomesperpendicular to the image photographing section 41 as illustrated inFIG. 19.

In this state, as illustrated in FIG. 7, for instance, by gripping thegripping section 42 with the right hand, the photographer can easilyoperate the release button 41 d with the gripping right hand, whileviewing the window of the optical finder 41C.

For optimizing the flexion state, the flexing direction, and therestoring position of the flexion/transformation mechanism 43, theflexing direction may be regulated so as to be on the same plainsurface. Further, the flexion/transformation mechanism 43 may beconfigured such that the flexion state is stopped and held in respectivestates, i.e., in the carrying state in which the image photographingsection 41, the flexion/transformation mechanism 43, and the grippingsection 42 are aligned on a straight line, and in the photographingstate in which the image photographing section 41 becomes almostperpendicular to the gripping section 42. The electronic circuit systemfor operating the camera 4 illustrated in FIGS. 16 through 19 utilizes astructure almost same as that of FIG. 6.

The aforementioned gripping section 42 accommodates a battery as thepower source and a recording medium installing section, etc. Thegripping section 42 supplies electricity to the image photographingsection 41, and electric signals are exchanged between the photographingsection 41 and the gripping sections 42. The power supply/signal linescan be inserted into the interior of the flexion/transformationmechanism 43 although not illustrated.

Furthermore, the displaying section 41 g may be capable of displaying aimage. The displaying section 41 g displays a subject image beforephotographing or a subject image being photographed, or a photographedsubject image stored in a recording medium, etc. On this occasion, thesubject image obtained by the image photographing element is displayedon the image surface of the display section 41 g, such that the displaysection 41 g is used as an electronic view finder.

By thus structuring a camera as described above, when carrying thecamera, the camera can be put in the shape of a stick, superior in theportability and suitable in the outer appearance for being used as anaccessory, and when photographing, the camera can be flexed andtransformed by the flexion/transformation mechanism 43, such that theimage photographing section 41 is almost horizontal while the grippingsection 42 is almost vertical, thus forming a reverse L-shape. Thereby,the camera can be held surely. In addition, there is almost no danger ofinstability caused by a shaky hand because of the adoption of a reverseL-shape.

Furthermore, the flexion angle can be easily set optionally to a desiredangle other than the right angle with the flexion/transformationmechanism 43. For example, by regulating the flexion of theflexion/transformation mechanism at the desired angle, or by setting oneor more required angles by use of a click stop mechanism, etc., theflexion angle can be set to the desired. Further, by configuring thegripping section 42 so as to be stopped at plural flexion angles, theflexion angle can be also selectively set.

The present invention has been described with respect to severalembodiments, in which the present invention has been applied to cameras.However, the present invention is not limited to the cameras. Thepresent invention can be also applied to other image inputtingapparatuses, for instance, image inputting apparatuses configured to besuitable for macro photographing so that the apparatuses can be used asdevices for inputting to computers such as PCs or portable informationterminals, or other image inputting apparatuses configured to photographvideo images for a short time for inputting to PCs or portableinformation terminals. Those image inputting apparatuses can beconstructed in substantially the same manner as the cameras according tothe preferred embodiments of the present invention described above.

Furthermore, the present invention can apply when incorporating theabove-described function of the cameras and the image inputtingapparatuses in portable terminals, such as a portable telephone terminalor a portable information terminal, etc. An example of applying thepresent invention to the portable telephone terminal is described below.

FIGS. 20 through 23 illustrate a structure of a portable telephoneterminal incorporating the camera function according to anotherpreferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20 is a perspectiveview as viewed at the subject side, schematically illustrating thestructure of the portable telephone terminal in the state of beingcarried. FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the portable telephoneterminal illustrated in FIG. 20 as viewed at the photographer side. FIG.22 is a perspective view of the portable telephone terminal as viewed atthe photographer side, illustrating the state of the portable telephoneterminal halfway flexed. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the portabletelephone terminal as viewed at the photographer side after having beenflexed. In this embodiment also, the electronic structure regarding thecamera function is substantially the same as that of FIG. 6.

A portable telephone terminal 5 illustrated in FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 is,for instance, a portable telephone terminal incorporating the electroniccamera function. The portable telephone terminal 5 is provided with animage photographing section 51, a gripping section 52, and aflexion/transformation mechanism 53.

The image photographing section 51 is mainly a part carrying out thecamera function directly relating to photographing of a subject image.The photographing section 51 includes a lens system 51 a, a strobe lightemitting section 51 b, an optical finder 51 c, a release button 51 d, amode button section 51 e, and a display section 11 g. Furthermore, areceiving speaker 51 k serving as the portable telephone terminal and anantenna 51 m are provided in the image photographing section 51.Furthermore, the main part of an electronic circuit for realizing theimage photographing function of the portable telephone terminal 5 isaccommodated in the image photographing section 51. The lens system 51 acaptures an optical image of a subject. The strobe light emittingsection 51 b radiates an illumination light onto the subject. Theoptical finder 51 c is used for confirming the visual field to bephotographed by the lens system 51 a with the optical image. The releasebutton 51 d instructs the timing of image photographing by beingoperated, and performs the release operation at that time. Themode/operation button section 51 e includes one or more buttons such aspush buttons. These buttons are used for performing selection andsetting operations of a photographing mode and various sorts ofoperation modes, etc.

The mode/operation button section 51 f is used for setting the mode forthe portable telephone function and for various sorts of operations. Thedisplay section 51 g includes an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and thedisplay section 51 g displays the operation states by the mode/operationbutton section 51 f, the number of photographed subjects, the residualquantity of electricity in a battery, and the other operation states ofthe portable telephone terminal 5.

The gripping section 52 is the part used as the grip for gripping theportable telephone terminal 5 as in the camera at the time ofphotographing. The griping section 52 accommodates, for instance, abattery as the power source and a recording medium for recording animage of a subject.

For this reason, the gripping section 52 is provided with a batterycover 52 b capable of being opened and closed at the time of setting andremoving the recording medium or the battery. In the state where thebattery cover 52 b has been removed, the recording medium can be set orremoved. Furthermore, the gripping section 52 is provided with atelephone operating section 52 c such as a dial button, etc. and atransmitting microphone 52 d for the portable telephone function.

When the portable telephone terminal 5 is carried, the imagephotographing section 51 and the gripping section 52 are linearlyconnected with each other and arranged in a straight line so as to beformed in a shape of a flat stick as illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21. Thecombining parts of the image photographing section 51 and the grippingsection 52 are closely connected with each other at an inclined surfaceintersecting an axis line along the elongated direction, for instance,at a plane inclined by almost 45 degrees relative to the upper and lowersurfaces of the portable telephone terminal 5. A flexion/transformationmechanism 53 is provided at the place where the combining parts of theimage photographing section 51 and the gripping sections 52 are closelyconnected with each other.

The flexion/transformation mechanism 53 is constructed in substantiallythe same manner as that of FIG. 3. The flexion/transformation mechanism53 is constructed so as to relatively rotate on the above-describedinclined surface and to be prevented from slipping therefrom. Thecombining parts of the image photographing section 51 and the grippingsection 52 are constructed so as to have suitable resistances againstthe rotational movement with a frictional or viscous damping, etc., andto be stopped at a predetermined rotational position as described laterby use of a click stop mechanism, etc. The image photographing section51 and the gripping section 52 are connected with each other by theflexion/transformation mechanism 53. By relatively rotating the imagephotographing section 51 and the gripping section 52, the portabletelephone terminal 5 can be flexed so as to be transformed from acarrying state illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, in which thephotographing section 51 and the gripping sections 52 are arranged onthe same straight line so that the portable telephone terminal 5 isformed in an elongated flat stick shape, to a photographing stateillustrated in FIG. 23, in which the image photographing section 51 andthe gripping section 52 become perpendicular to each other such that theportable telephone terminal 5 is in a shape of a reverse “L”.

Namely, in the carrying state illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, theportable telephone terminal 5 is in a form of a stick as in the case ofordinary telephone terminals, so as to be suitable for being carried ina bag, etc. or for attaching a strap thereto for hanging it on the neckor the wrist. When photographing with the portable telephone terminal 5,because it is difficult to photograph in the carrying state, thephotographing section 51 and the gripping section 52 are rotatedrelatively by use of the flexion/transformation mechanism 53 that issubstantially the same as that illustrated in FIG. 3. The rotation shaftof the flexion/transformation mechanism 53 is the axis line Cillustrated in FIG. 21. When the gripping section 52 is relativelyrotated in the clockwise direction relative to the combining surface ofthe image photographing section 51, the gripping section 52 is graduallyangled relative to the image photographing section 51 as illustrated inFIG. 22. Finally, at the time of rotating by almost 180 degrees, thegripping section 52 becomes perpendicular to the image photographingsection 51 as illustrated in FIG. 23.

In this state, as the case illustrated in FIG. 7, for instance, bygripping the gripping section 52 with the right hand, the photographercan easily operate the release button 51 d with the gripping right handwhile viewing the window of the optical finder 51C. For maintaining theabove-described configurations of the carrying state and thephotographing state even when an external force is applied to theportable telephone terminal 5, it is preferable to provide a stoppingmechanism such as a click stop mechanism, etc. to theflexion/transformation mechanism 53, so as to stop the theflexion/transformation mechanism 53 at the position corresponding to thecarrying state illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21 and at the positioncorresponding to the photographing state illustrated in FIG. 23.

The electronic circuit system for operating the camera function of theportable telephone terminal 5 as illustrated in FIGS. 20 through 23 issubstantially the same as that illustrated in FIG. 6.

The aforementioned gripping section 52 accommodates a battery as thepower source and a recording medium installing section, and the grippingsection 52 is required to supply electricity to the image photographingsection 51 and to exchange electric signals therebetween. Thepower-supply/signal lines between the photographing section 51 and thegripping section 52 can be inserted into a hollow portion, etc. of theflexion/transformation mechanism 53, although not illustrated in thefigure. Needless to mention, it may be allowable to use a slidingconductive mechanism such as a well-known slip ring or brush in theflexion/transformation mechanism 53.

The display section 51 g may be configured so as to display an image, soas to display a subject image before photographing or beingphotographed, and to reproduce and displays a photographed subject imagestored in a recording medium, etc. In addition, the display section 51 gmay perform the essential operation of the portable telephone function,such as displaying of the time, the telephone number, etc. The subjectimage before photographing or being photographed obtained by an imagephotographing element is displayed on an image surface of the displaysection 51 g, such that the display section 51 is used as the electronicview finder.

By thus structuring the portable telephone terminal 5, in its carryingstate, the portable telephone terminal 5 can be put in the shape of astick suitable for being used as a portable telephone, superior inportability, and moreover suitable for being used as an accessory.Further, at the time of photographing, the portable telephone terminal 5can be flexed and transformed by the flexion/transformation mechanism 53such that the image photographing section 51 is almost horizontal whilethe gripping section 52 is almost vertical, thus forming a reverseL-shape. Thereby, the portable telephone terminal 5 can be securelyheld, and in addition, there is almost no danger of instability causedby a shaky hand because of the adoption of the reverse L-shape.

Furthermore, the flexion angle of the flexion/transformation mechanism53 can be optionally set easily. For example, the angle can be set to arequired angle besides the right angle by configuring theflexion/transformation mechanism 53 such that the flexion is regulatedat the required angle, or such that one or more required angles can beset by use of a click stop mechanism, etc. Furthermore, by configuringthe gripping section 52 to be stepped at plural flexion angles, theflexion angle can be selectively set.

Furthermore, although the flexion/transformation mechanism 53 employssubstantially the same structure as that of the flexion/transformationmechanism 13, the structure of the flexion/transformation mechanism 23or that of the flexion/transformation mechanism 43 may be also employed.

Furthermore, in the immediately above-described embodiment, although thedescription has been made with respect to the case of applying thepresent invention to a portable telephone terminal the above-describedstructure may be applied to other terminal apparatuses, for instance,portable information terminals having information processing functionssuch as schedule control, memo recording, and electronic mailtransmission/receipt, etc.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the description hasbeen made for the cases where stick-state cameras, image inputtingapparatuses, or portable terminals, are flexed at one position so as tobe gripped. However, they may be configured so as to be flexed at two ormore positions, so as to be divided into plural portions. In this case,one of the plural portions divided by the flexion can be used as theimage photographing section, and another one of the plural portions canbe used as the gripping section.

FIGS. 24 through 26 illustrate a structure of a camera according toanother preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 24 is afront view of the camera as viewed at the subject side, schematicallyillustrating the structure of the camera in a state of being carried.FIG. 25 is a back-surface view of the camera viewed from thephotographer side, illustrating the structure of the camera in aphotographing state after having been flexed. FIG. 26 is a front view ofthe camera as viewed at the subject side, illustrating the structure ofthe camera in the photographing state after having been flexed. Theelectronic part of the camera is substantially the same as that of FIG.6.

A camera 6 illustrated in FIGS. 24 through 25 is for example anelectronic camera. The camera 6 includes an image photographing section61, a gripping section 62, a battery accommodation section 63, a firstflexion/transformation mechanism 64 and a second flexion/transformationmechanism 65.

The image photographing section 61 is the part directly relating,mainly, to image photographing of a subject image. The photographingsection 61 includes a lens system 61 a, a release button 61 b, and afinder eye-contact part 61 c, etc. The lens system 61 a captures anoptical image of a subject. The release button 61 b instructs a timingof photographing by being operated, and performs the release operation.The finder eye-contact part 61 c is the eyepiece of an optical finder oran electronic finder. When the finder system is the optical finder, theoptical image in a photographing visual field is formed, utilizing apart of the light flux of the lens system 61 a for use in thephotographing, and the optical image thus formed can be observed by thefinder eyepiece 61 c.

When the finder system is the electronic finder, the image informationphotographed by an image photographing element is displayed on aninterior display thereof, and the image information thus displayed canbe observed by use of the finder eyepiece 61 c. The gripping section 62is the part used as the grip for gripping the camera 6 at the time ofphotographing. For instance, the outer circumferential surface of thecamera 6 is covered with, for instance, rubber, in order to preventslipping or sliding thereon: The battery accommodating section 63accommodates, for instance, a battery as the power source. For thisreason, the battery accommodating section 63 is provided with a batterycover 63 a which is opened and closed at the time of setting andremoving the battery. Moreover, various sorts of operating sections anda recording medium, etc. may be covered at suitable positions withcovers capable of being opened and closed, although they are notillustrated in the figures. As a matter of course, the camera 6 may beconfigured to perform wireless transmission of photographed image datato a PC or a portable information terminal, etc. in the vicinity. Onthis occasion, the recording medium, etc. is not needed. Furthermore,the electronic circuit for realizing the photographing function of thecamera 6 is suitably divided and contained in the image photographingsection 61, and the gripping section 62 and the battery accommodatingsection 63.

At the time of carrying the camera 6, the image photographing section61, the gripping section 62, and the battery accommodating section 63are linearly connected with each other and arranged in the state of acircular cylinder as illustrated in FIG. 24. The combining parts of theimage photographing section 61 and the gripping section 62 are closelyconnected with each other at an inclined plane intersecting with theaxis line along the longitudinal direction, for instance, the planeinclined by almost 45 degrees from the axis line, and the firstflexion/transformation mechanism 64 is provided at the place where theimage photographing section 61 and the gripping section 62 are connectedwith each other. The combining parts of the gripping section 62 and thebattery accommodating section 63 are also closely connected with eachother at an inclined plane intersecting with the axis line along thelongitudinal direction, for instance, the plane inclined by almost 45degrees from the axis line, and the second flexion/transformationmechanism 65 is provided at the place where the gripping section 62 andthe battery accommodation section 63 are connected with each other.

Both of the first and second flexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65are constructed in substantially the same manner as that of theflexion/transformation mechanism 13 as illustrated in FIG. 3, so as tobe relatively rotated on the above-described inclined surfaces andprevented from slipping down.

Furthermore, the above-described combining parts are constructed so asto have a suitable resistance against rotational movement withfrictional or viscous damping, etc. and so as to stop at a predeterminedrotational position as described later by use of a click stop mechanism,etc. The first and second flexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65respectively connect the image photographing section 61 with thegripping section 62 and the gripping section 62 with the batteryaccommodating section 63. In this structure, the first and secondflexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65 are respectively rotatedrelatively, and thereby the camera 6 can be flexed and transformed fromthe carrying state as illustrated in FIG. 24, in which the imagephotographing section 61, the gripping section 62, and the batteryaccommodating section 63 are positioned on a same straight line suchthat the camera 6 is formed in the shape of an elongated cylindricalstick, to the photographing state as illustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26, inwhich the photographing section 61 and the gripping section 62 and thegripping sections 62 and the battery accommodating section 63 arerespectively perpendicular to each other.

Namely, in the carrying state illustrated in FIG. 24, the camera 6 is inthe stick state, and thereby is suitable for being carried in a bag,etc. or also suitable for attaching a strap thereto so as to be hungaround the neck or the wrist. When photographing with the camera 6,because it is difficult to photograph with the camera 6 in the carryingstate, the photographing section 61 and the batter accommodating section63 are rotated relatively by use of the first and secondflexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65.

When the first flexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65 are bothrotated by 180 degrees, the gripping portion 62 becomes almostperpendicular to the image photographing section 61 as illustrated inFIGS. 25 and 26, and further, the battery accommodating section 63becomes almost perpendicular to the gripping section. As the result, theentire shape of the camera 6 becomes in the shape of an one-side-openedrectangle. In this state, by gripping the gripping section 62 with theright hand, the released button 61 b can be easily handled with thegripping right hand.

For maintaining the aforementioned carrying state and the photographingstate even when an external force is applied to the camera 6, it may bepreferable to provide a stopping mechanism such as a click stopmechanism, etc. in the flexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65 atthe position corresponding to the carrying state illustrated in FIG. 24and at the position corresponding to the photographing state illustratedin FIGS. 25 and 26. The electronic circuit system for operating thecamera 6 illustrated in FIGS. 24 through 26 uses the structuresubstantially the same as that in FIG. 6.

Because the electronic circuit system of FIG. 6 is dividedlyaccommodated in the image photographing section 61, the gripping section62, and the battery accommodating section 63, it is necessary to supplyelectricity between the respective sections 61, 62, and 63 and exchangeelectric signal therebetween. The electricity-supply/signal linesbetween the respective sections can be inserted through a hollow portionof the first and second flexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65. Asa matter of course, it may be allowable to use a sliding conductivemechanism such as a well-known slip ring and brush, etc. By thusstructuring the camera 6, the camera 6 can be made in the shape of astick superior in portability and having a preferable outer appearancesuitable for being used as an accessory at the time of being carried. Atthe time of photographing, the camera 6 can be flexed and transformed bythe flexion/transformation mechanisms 64 and 65, such that the imagephotographing section 61 is almost horizontal and the gripping section62 is almost vertical. Therefore, the camera 6 has a configuration of aninverse “L”, suitable for being surely held by the photographer andhaving a very low probability of being shaken by the hand.

Furthermore, the flexion angle formed by the flexion/transformationmechanisms 64 and 65 can be optionally set easily. The flexion angle canbe set to a desired angle besides the right angle by regulating theflexion at the desired angle or by setting one or more desired angles byuse of a click step mechanism, etc. Furthermore, by configuring thegripping section 62 so as to be stopped at plural flexion angles, theflexion angle can be selectively set in accordance with the desiredangle.

Furthermore, the camera 6 may be configured such that the power sourceswitch is caused to co-operate with at least the firstflexion/transformation mechanism 64, and when the gripping section 62 isangled relative to the image photographing section 61 the power sourceis switched on. Furthermore, even on this occasion, the presentinvention is not always limited to cameras, and the present inventioncan be applied to other image inputting apparatuses.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments describedheretofore and illustrated in the drawings. It is possible to realizevarious modifications or variations within the scope not departing fromthe scope of the present invention.

For instance, in the above-described embodiments, although each of thegrip stop mechanisms has a position determining function for determiningthe position of a flexion/transformation angle between an imagephotographing section and a gripping section, it may be possible toconstruct a camera such that a stopping mechanism for surely stoppingthe image photographing section and the gripping section at the carryingposition and on the photographing position is provided and such that ifthe stopping mechanism is not released the both sections cannot berelatively rotated from each other.

Furthermore, regarding the length ratio between an image photographingsection and a gripping section, it is desirable that the imagephotographing section be longer than the gripping section in the case ofa camera having a large number of functions, while it is desirable thatthe gripping section be longer than the image photographing section inthe case of a camera having only a simple function (for instance, thecamera not having a strobe), so as to be further improved inoperability.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, with respect tocameras, an electronic camera has been exemplarity described. However,the present invention can be applied to cameras employing a silver saltfilm.

Heretofore, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed with respect to cameras, image inputting apparatuses, portableterminal devices, and a method of changing a camera configuration. Theadvantageous functional effects of the present invention are describedhereinafter for respective aspects of the invention.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, according to the presentinvention, a camera, an image inputting apparatus, and a portableterminal device that are superior in the portability and the outerappearance when being carried and at the same time, are superior in theholding performance and the operability when photographing are realizedwith a simple structure to form a body in a longitudinal rectangularshape so as to be suitable for being carried and by providing aflexion/transformation mechanism to angle a gripping portion relative toa photographing portion of the body for photographing.

In particular, the appearance of the flexion/transformation mechanismcan have a good outer appearance by configuring theflexion/transformation mechanism to include a mechanism to connect animage forming portion and a gripping section with each other on aninclined surface obliquely intersecting with a straight line on whichthe image photographing section and the gripping sections are disposedwhen the body is formed in the longitudinal rectangular shape, and to berelatively rotated around the axis line almost perpendicular to theinclined surface.

Further, with a provision of a flexible member that cannot be easilybent in the flexion/transformation mechanism, stable holding of thegripping portion in photographing can be realized.

Also, by providing a cover configured to cover theflexion/transformation mechanism and the photographing section in thecarrying state, for example, a lens system for photographing can beprotected.

Further, by providing the operation part, such as the release button andthe strobe light emitting portion, etc. in the photographing section,not in the gripping section, there is no danger of erroneously operatingthe operation part by gripping of the gripping section. Furthermore,with a provision of a power on/off device configured to turn on thepower source when the gripping portion is angled relative to the magephotographing section, secure and speedy operation is realized.

Further, according to the present invention, the configuration of a bodyof a camera can be easily changed from a carrying configuration forobtaining a preferable portability and a good-looking outer appearancesuitable for being carried in a photographing configuration forobtaining preferable holding performance and operability at the time ofphotographing, and vice versa.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been describedheretofore. However, numerous additional modifications and variations ofthe present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Itis therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the present invention may be practiced other wise than asspecifically described herein.

1. A communication device comprising: a release button configured toperform image photographing; a first body section including: a housingbody; a lens system integrally provided with the housing body andconfigured to photograph a subject, and a display configured to displayan image captured by the lens system; and a second body sectionrotatably connected to said first body section by a flexion member, theflexion member formed only at a substantially central portion of a sidesurface of each body section, the second boy section including: atelephone keypad including a dial button configured to initiate atelephone call, and a space configured to accommodate a battery as apower source, wherein prior to rotating the first and second bodysections, an axis of the first body section and an axis of the secondbody section are substantially coaxial, and after rotating the first andsecond body sections, the axis are oriented substantially perpendicularto each other.
 2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein saidfirst body section and said second body section are each arranged in asubstantially rectangular shape.
 3. The communication device of claim 1,wherein said lens system and said display are positioned on adjacentsides of said first body section.
 4. The communication device of claim1, wherein said display is configured as a liquid crystal display. 5.The communication device of claim 1, wherein said display is configuredto be used as an electronic view finder.
 6. The portable terminal deviceof claim 1, further comprising: an image photographing section, whereinsaid lens system and said display are positioned on adjacent sides ofsaid image photographing section.
 7. The portable terminal device ofclaim 6, wherein said release button and said lens system are positionedon different sides of said image photographing section.
 8. The portableterminal device of claim 6, wherein said release button and said lenssystem are positioned on adjacent sides of said image photographingsection.
 9. The portable terminal device of claim 1, further comprising:a gripping section, wherein said gripping section is configured toaccommodate a removable recording medium.
 10. The portable terminaldevice of claim 1, further comprising: a speaker, wherein said speakerand said lens system are positioned on adjacent sides of said imagephotographing section.
 11. The communication device of claim 1, whereinsaid lens system is fixedly attached to said first body section.
 12. Thecommunication device of claim 1, wherein said communication device is aportable telephone.
 13. A communication device comprising: a releasebutton configured to perform image photographing; a first body sectionincluding: a housing body; a lens system integrally provided with thehousing body and configured to photograph a subject, and a displayconfigured to display an image captured by the lens system; and a secondbody section formed immediately adjacent the first body section androtatably connected to said first body section by a flexion member, thesecond body section including: a telephone keypad including a dialbutton configured to initiate a telephone call, and a space configuredto accommodate a battery as a power source, wherein side surfaces of thefirst and second body sections remain immediately adjacent each otherwhile the first and second body sections are rotated with respect toeach other and while the release button is engaged to perform imagephotographing, and wherein prior to rotating the first and second bodysections, an axis of the first body section and an axis of the secondbody section are substantially coaxial, and after rotating the first andsecond body sections, the axis are oriented substantially perpendicularto each other.
 14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein theside surfaces of the first and second body sections are formed with anangle of inclination with respect to axis of respective first and secondbody sections.
 15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein theangle of inclination of each of the first body side surface and secondbody side surface is between approximately 45 degrees and approximately90 degrees.